The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Aster plant, botanically known as Aster novi-belgii and referred to by the cultivar name Moercass.
The new Aster is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new strong-growing cut flower Aster cultivars with attractive floret colors. The new Aster originated from a cross made by the Inventor of a proprietary Aster selection identified as code number 2209, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Aster selection identified as code number 2075, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Aster was selected by the Inventor on the basis of its double inflorescence form and postproduction longevity. Plants of the parental selections and plants of the new Aster differ in inflorescence size, inflorescence form and postproduction longevity. Compared to `Peter's White ` Aster, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,783, the inflorescence of `Moercass` are significantly smaller. Additionally, `Peter's White` lacks disc florets while `Moercass` does not.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in De Lier, The Netherlands has shown that the unique features of this new Aster are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.